Contracting MRSA in pregnancy

cypris · Newbie Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 10

Hi, I have been tested for MRSA and the test came out to be positive. The doctor said that this doesn’t mean much and that MRSA isn’t dangerous for me since my immune system is functioning properly. However he told me that it could pose a possible danger to pregnant women and unborn infants if they are infected with it. My wife is in her third month of pregnancy, and I'm very scared about her and our child. What are the possible consequences of being infected wit MRSA in pregnancy and what should we do to prevent that?

wroe · Newbie Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 17

Although pregnant women are by rule more susceptible to bacterial infections and the effects of those infections can be dangerous for the normal development of the pregnancy, it doesn’t have to mean that your wife or your child will be necessarily be in danger during the pregnancy itself. This situation could be dangerous and could get out of the control if your wife’s immune system gets impaired for any reason during the pregnancy, in that case MRSA can cause congenital anomalies of the fetus. Other danger is that the child could get infected during the delivery, and since its immune system is still undeveloped that could put the newborn in great danger. The common therapy for MRSA is the antibiotic muciprocin that is applied on the surface of your skin and inside of your nose where MRSA usually resides. If muciprocin doesn’t work there are some alternatives, stronger antibiotics, but those can be dangerous for the pregnant women and can put the pregnancy in great danger. You should consult your physician or your wife’s gynecologist for further treatment and prevention methods. Best wishes and good luck to all the three of you.

jennifer · Guest

Hi I'm Jennifer. I am 17 years old, and 7 months pregnant. I just found out today i have mrsa. I have huge boils and scars all down my legs from the infection. I've had it for a few months but none of my doctors could figure out what it was. They finally tested me and sure enough I was positive. I've had this since I was about 4 and a half to five months pregnant. could this be problem for my baby? Is everything going to be okay??

evie · Guest

ive been in and out the hospital for the last 2 weeks with what doctors are calling cellulitis and 2 days ago after it being lanced because 2 weeks of antibiotics did nothing they tested the site for MRSA and i havent got the results back yet i hope your ok and me too

barbara · Guest

I am 13 weeks pregnant and I have had resistant staff for about 7 months now. Before I became pregnant, I had them non-stop back-to-back, and they would get so big and so bad that I would have to go to the hospital to get them drained and packed every other day, sometimes every day. But since I have been pregnant, I haven't had any, except one before I found out I was pregnant. When they cultured it, they found out that the antibiotic that will knock it out is sulfa drugs, such as septra, which I am severly allergic to. So now I have to go to a special doctor that only treats infections because all the other doctors are too stupid.

Spedi · Guest

I am now 24 weeks pregnant and had my first round of MRSA at about 14 weeks. I ended up in the hospital with cellulitus too. They lanced, drained and did a culture.

I am on my third round of Bactrim DS in about 45 days, not to mention the clindomycin I was on in the hospital.

Does anyone else find these sores PAINFUL? OUCH is all I have to say. The healing process takes FOREVER too! I'm not a happy pregnant gal!

marezemily · Guest

Hi, I am 10 weeks pregnant and have MRSA. It worries me to think that my baby could get this infection when I deliver. Am I or my baby at any really dangerous risks with this infection? Please help put my worries to rest.

Guest · Guest

I am now 18 weeks pregnant, and had a (extrmely painful) sore on my leg. I had the doctor culture it because both my husband and i had MRSA over the summer (which was believed to have bee treated). I had the sore cultured, and lucky me, it is MRSA. Does anyone know what if any antibiotics (that this responds to) are safe during pregnancy? Also, I am now very worried aboujt my baby, as well as delivery, and can't find a whole lot of information about it. Thanks, and good luck.

kari114 · Newbie Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 2

my sister-in-law is 15 weeks pregnant and came down with staph-cellulitus on her leg. It was tested and came back positive for MRSA. The doctor told her that this could potentially be harmful to herself and my niece. He started her on Cipro and Bactrim. I have heard that the baby could be in danger of contracting this during delivery. Is this if the baby is to be born vaginally? Is there less of a chance of the baby getting it if she has a c-section? Is there anything I can tell her that would make her feel better?

jenms1226 · Newbie Joined: 16 Sep 2007 Posts: 1

I was 7 months pregnant and got 2 boils on my leg. The boils were cultured and I had MRSA. The doctor gave me Keflex which is resistant to it so the boils kept coming through my whole pregnancy. They said that they couldn't give me any stronger medication until after the baby was born. Well, I had a vaginal delivery and 4 weeks later my little girl was sent to the emergency room with a boil on her chin. She has been in the hospital for 6 days while they give her antibiotics (Clindymicin). Even if you take antibiotics, the doctor told me that it could be living on your skin so now I am afraid that when my doctor comes home I'll give it to her again. He recommended we see an Infectious Disease doctor to make sure it is gone and take the necessary precautions (e.g. nasal antibiotic spray).

If you are pregnant with MRSA, I would definitely talk to your doctor about the chances of the baby getting it. It happened to me and the whole ordeal has been very scary and it is not over yet...

Contracting MRSA in pregnancy

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